Trays



Aug. 24, 1965 J. W. CARLSON TRAYS Filed Jan. 29, 1962 A TTORNE YS UnitedStates Patent O 3,202,074 TRAYS John W. Carlson, Chicago, Ill., assignorto Speed-O-Print Business Machines Corporation, Chicago, lll., acorporation of illinois Filed Jan. '29, 1962, Ser. No. 169,687 4 Claims.(Cl. 95-95) This invention relates to printing devices, and, moreparticularly, to trays which are particularly well adapted for holdingdeveloping liquid for use in photocopying machines, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to enable a novel trayfor holding developing liquid, and the like, to be afforded.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel tray whichis particularly well adapted for use in photocopying machines of thetype disclosed in my co-pending application for United States LettersPatent, Serial No. 420, filed January 4, 1960, now Patent No. 3,031,942.

In photocopying operations, and the like, wherein sheets to be developedare passed through a liquid bath in a tray, or the like, it is commonlydesirable that a predetermined minimum level of the liquid in the traybemaintained throughout the operations so as to insure propersubmergence and wetting of the sheets being passed through the liquid.Heretofore, this has cornmonly meant that a sufficient quantity ofliquid be maintained in trays heretofore known in the art to fill theentire tray to at least the aforementioned minimum level. incertaininstances, and, particularly, when only a few sheets were to beprocessed, this has required an amount of liquid in such trays whichwasfar in excess of the amount required for the processing of such sheets.Such procedure has several disadvantages, such as, for example, beingwasteful of liquid; requiring the draining of an excessive amount ofliquid from such trays at the completion of each such series ofoperations; or requiring the storage of an excessive amount ofpreviously used liquid between such series of operations, or the like.It is an important object of the present invention to overcome suchdisadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to enable the same liquidlevel to be maintained in such a tray, in a novel and expeditiousmanner, with different quantities of liquid.

Another object of the present invention is to enable the liquid level insuch a tray to be adjusted in a novel and expeditious manner.

A further object of the present'invention is to afford a novel tray ofthe aforementioned type which is practical and efiicient in operationand may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparentfro-rn the following description and claims andare illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferredembodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof andl whatInow consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applyingthese principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sameor equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without'departing from thepresent invention and the purview of' the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a front perspective view of a tray embodying the principles ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, lateral sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 2-2 in FIG. l;

ZiZ'i Patented Aug. 24, 1965 FIG. 3 is a top plan View of the tray shownin FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the trayshown in FIG. 2.

A tray 1, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown inthe drawings to illustrate the prefer-red embodiment of the presentinvention.

The tray 1 includes a body portion 2 having a front wall 3 andoppositely disposed end walls 4 and 5, FIGS. l and 2. The body portion 2also embodies a substantially rectangular-shaped, upwardly openingcontainer 6 having a bottom wall 7 disposed above the lower edgeportions of the walls 3 5. The container 6 is defined by theaforementioned bottom wall 7, theV aforementioned front wall 3 and endwalls 4 and 5 of the body portion 2, and a rear wall 8 of the bodyportion 2, which projects upwardly from the rear edge portion of thebottom wall '7. The rear wall 8 has an opening 9 in the lower,longitudinal central portion thereof for feeding liquid into and out ofthe container 6.

A valve lil, which may be of any suitable type but which is preferablyof the type shown in my co-pending application for United States LettersPatent, Serial No. 827,903, filed July 17, 1959, now Patent No.3,097,585, is mounted in the passageway 9 in the container 6 in positionto be in communicationwith the interior of the container 6, FIGS. 2 and3. The valve 10 may be opened and closed to control the drainage ofliquid from the container 6. lf desired, the valve 10 may be connectedto a suitable source of supply of fluid for feeding liquid into and outof the container 6 in a manner similar to that disclosed in myaforementioned veo-pending application, Serial No. 420.

A false bottom 11 is removably mounted on the body portion 2 in upwardlyspaced relation to the bottom wall 7, the false bottom il rests on afront flange l2 and a rear iiange 13 on the front wall 3 and the rearwall 8 of the body portion 2, respectively, FIG. 2. The false bottom 11is substantially arcuate in shape, FIG. 2, and has a plurality ofupwardly projecting parallel spaced ribs lli extending substantiallyfrom the front to the rear thereof.

The false bottom lll also has four wall members 15, liti, i?, and i8projecting substantially vertically downwardly from the front edgeportion thereof, and terminating at their lower ends in upwardly spacedrelation to the bottom wall 7, FIGS. 2 and 3. The walls l5 and 16 aredisposedin substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, andextend substantially the full length of the container 6, the wall l5being disposed parallel to, and closely adjacent to the inner face 19 ofthe front wall 3 of the body member 2, when the false bottom 11 isdisposed in normal operative position in the body member 2, FIG. 2, andthe wall lid being disposed forwardly of, but relatively closelyadjacent to the longitudinal center line of the container 6. The walls1'7 and 13 are disposed substantially parallel to, and closely adjacentto the end walls 4 and 5, respectively, of the body portion 2. The wallsiii-l are imperforate, and are sealed together to form a continuous,imperforate side wall portion lid-ld, which is open at the bottom, for apurpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The false button 11 has a boss 20 projecting downwardly from thelongitudinal central portion of the front edge portion thereof, withinthe area defined by the walls 1548. An internally threaded opening 21extends vertically through the boss 2@ and the false bottom l1, FIGS. 2and 4. A plug 23 having an enlarged head 24 on one end thereof, and anenlarged lower end porti-on 25 on the other end thereof, is mounted inand extends through the opening 2l in the boss 20, FIGS. 2 and 4. Thelower end portion 25 of the plug 23 has external threads 26 formedthereon, and the threads 26 are threadedly engaged with the threads 22in the boss 20 when the plug 23 is disposed in operative position in theboss 20. The plug 23 also has an intermediate portion 27 disposedbetween the head 23 and the end portion 25, the intermediate portion 27being of smaller diameter than either the head 23 or the end portion 25.An O-ring made of suitable material such as, for example, rubber orneoprene, is mounted on the intermediate portion 27 below the head 24,and, when the plug 23 is disposed in fully inserted position in the boss20, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, the O-ring 28 is firmly clampedbetween the head 24 of the plug 23 and the upper face 29 of the falsebottom 11 to thereby effectively sealingly close the opening 21 throughthe boss 20, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detailpresently.

The threads 22 in the boss 20, and the threads 26 on the end portion 25of the plug 23 are relatively coarse and engage each other in such amanner that when the plug 23 is only partially inserted in the boss 20with the head 24 disposed in raised position, relative to the falsebottom 11, such as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, wherein it isineffective to clamp the O-ring 28 against the upper face 29 of thefalse bottom 11, air may pass vertically through the boss and the falsebottom 11 around the plug 23.

A suitable removable retaining member, such as, for example, a snap ring30, is mounted in a slot 31 in the lower end portion of the lower endportion of the plug 23 in such position that when the plug 23 isdisposed in fully inserted position in the boss 20, the snap ring isdisposed in downwardly spaced relation to the lower end of the boss 20.With this construction, the plug 23 may be withdrawn a substantialdistance from fully inserted position to a fully raised position, suchas shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, but is releaseably held againstcomplete withdrawal from the boss 20 by the snap ring 30. The snap ring3f) is preferably so disposed on the plug 23 that it is effective tolimit the upward movement of the plug 23 so that, when the plug 23 isdisposed in fully raised position, the top thereof is disposed below theadjacent upper surface of the false bottom 11, as shown in broken linesin FIG. 4.

Rearwardly of the wall 16, the false bottom 11 has a plurality ofopenings 32 extending through the bottom thereof, whereby liquid mayflow upwardly and downwardly through the false bottom 11 into and out ofthe bottom portion of the container 6'. However, forwardly of the wall16, the false bottom 11 is imperforate except for the opening 21therethrough. rI`he walls 15-18 are sealed to the lower face of thefalse bottom 11 throughout their length. With this construction, the

walls 15-18 and the forward end portion of the false bot-r tom 11 affordan open-bottomed air chamber 33, the top of which may be opened andclosed to the atmosphere for controlling the level of liquid in the tray1, as will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The tray 1 includes an elongated, downwardly and rearwardly curvedseparating plate 34, which extends across the front of the tray 1 andprojects rearwardly and downwardly across the false bottom 11, insubstantially parallel relation thereto, the plate 34 terminating at itsrear edge portion 35 in substantially vertical alignment with thebottommost portion of the false bottom 11. The separating plate 34 hastwo spacing blocks 36 projecting downwardly from respective ends of thefront edge portion thereof, the blocks 36 resting on the upper face ofthe front flange 12 of the false bottom 11 to support the separatingplate 34 in upwardly spaced relation to the false bottom 11.

A cover plate 37, which is somewhat similar in shape to the separatingplate 34, is mounted on the separator plate 34 in upwardly spaced,substantially parallel relation thereto, and covers the front portion ofthe false bottom 11 in such position that the rear edge 3S of the coverplate 37 terminates in substantially vertical alignment with thelowermost portion of the false bottom 11. Like the separating plate 34,the cover plate 37 has two spacing blocks 39 projecting downwardly fromrespective ends of the front edge portion thereof, the spacing blocks 39being disposed vertically above respective blocks 36 on the separatingplate 34, resting on the upper face of the front edge portion of theseparating plate 34 to thereby support the cover plate 37 insubstantially parallel, upwardly spaced relation to the separating plate34.

The -plates 34 and 37 have downwardly projecting, substantially parallelribs 40 and 41, respectively, extending rearwardly thereacross from thefront edge portions thereof, to afford relatively narrow Ytrackways forguidingly engaging the upper faces of photocopy paper, or the like, whenthe latter is fed rearwardly between the plates 34 and 37 and betweenthe plate 34 and the false bottom 11 into the container 6 during adeveloping operation.

The false bottom 11, the separater plate 34, and the cover plate 3 7,are releaseably secured to the body portion 2 of the tray 1 in coveringrelation to the plug 23, by two bolts or thumb screws 42 which extenddownwardly through the blocks 39 and 36 and the front flange 12 of thefalse bottom 11 at respective ends of the front portion of the bodyportion 2, the bolts 42 being threadingly engaged in the front wall 3 ofthe body portion 2.

In the use of a tray in an operation, such as, for example, in adeveloping operation in a machine of the type disclosed in myaforementioned application, Serial No. 420, it is desirable that theliquid be maintained at or above a predetermined minimum level in thetray, such as, for example, the level indicated by the reference numeral43 in FIG. 2 of the drawings. In trays heretofore known in the art, thishas been normally accomplished by lling the entire container portion ofthe tray with liquid to a level at or above the desired level. Thisprocedure was followed whether the liquid was to be used to process asubstantial number of documents, or just a few documents. With my noveltray 1, when only a few documents are to be processed, a smaller amountof liquid may be used, while still maintaining the desired level ofliquid in the processing portion of the container 6. On the other hand,when a substantial number of documents are to be processed, a largerquantity of the liquid may be introduced into the chamber 6, while stillmaintaining the same level of the liquid therein.

Thus, for example, if it is desired to fill the entire conatiner 6 ofthe tray 1 to capacity with a developing liquid, the bolts 42 may beremoved, and the plates 34 and 37 may be lifted from the tray 1. Theplug 23 may then be unscrewed into raised position, such as, forexample, the position shown in broken line in FIG. 4, to thereby ventthe air chamber 33 to the atmosphere through the false bottom 11. Theplates 34 and 37 may then be replaced in operative position on the bodypor` tion 2 of the tray 1, and secured in said position by the bolts 42.The desired quantity of liquid may then be fed into the container 6, andunder these conditions, the liquid levelY in the container 6 will beuniform throughout the container 6 such as, for example, at the levelindicated by the reference numeral 43 in FIG. 2. With such a quantity ofdeveloping liquid disposed in the tray 1, an adequate supply of suchliquid is disposed in the tray 1 for treating a substantial number ofphotocopy' sheets, or the like.

However, if in conducting a photocopying operation, or the like, with mynovel tray 1, only a few documents are to be treated with developingliquid, a substantially lesser quantity of developing liquid may be usedin the tray 1, while still maintaining the liquid level at the samedesired height. VFor example, with the tray 1 constructed in the mannershown in the drawings, the liquid level may be maintained at the samedesired level, such as, for example, the levelindicated by the referencenumeral 43, ,with slightly more than half of the aforementioned quantityof liquid necessary to ill the container 6 completely to that same level43. This may be accomplished by first removing the plates 34 and 37, andthen completely closing the plug` 23, so as to seal the passageway `21through' theboss 20 and the false bottom 11. The plates' 34 and 37 maythen Abe reinserted in operative position on the body portion 2 of thetray 1, andisecured in such position by the bolts 42. The liquid maythen be poured or fed into the container 6 of the tray 1, However, underthese conditions, as the liquid level rises in the container 6, the airpressure in the air chamber 33 prevents the vliquid' from rising anysubstantial distance into the air chamber 33. As a result, the major'portion of the liquid fed into the container 6 is disposed rearwardlyof the air chamber 33, and a substantially lesser quantity of liquid isrequired to raise the level of the liquid 'in' the container 6 to thelevel 43, rearwardly of the airA chamber 33.

The air chamber 33l is disposed forwardly of the rear end portions 35and 38 of the plates 34 and 37, FIG. 2, and when the level of the liquidrearwardly of the air ychamber 33 has raised to the level 43, with theplug 23 closed, the photocopy papers, or the like, passing between theplates 34 and 37, and between the plate 34 and the false bottom 11, passthrough the same quantity of liquid as if the container 6 were lledthroughout its width to the level 43.

With the air chamber 33 occupying the portion of the container 6illustrated in the drawings, the liquid level may be raised in thecontainer 6 to the level 43, with the plug 23 completely closed, withonly about sixty percent of the quantity of liquid necessary to raisethe liquid level to the same level 43 when the plug 23 is open. Forexample, approximately the same quantity of liquid which would benecessary to raise the liquid level throughout the entire container 6 toa level such as that indicated by the reference numeral 44 in FIG. 2,when the plug 23,l is open, would be suliicient to raise the liquidlevel in the container 6 to the level 43 when the plug 23 was closedduring the insertion of the liquid into the container 6.

Also, it Will be seen that if it is'desired, for any reasonto lower thelevel of liquid in the container 6, when the liquid has been placedtherein While the plug 23 was closed, this may be readily accomplishedby partially opening the plug 23 to thereby permit air to escape fromthe air chamber 33 to the atmosphere and, when the liquid has raised inthe air chamber 33 sufficiently to lower the level of the liquid in theremainder of the container 6 to the desired level, again close the plug23.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention aifords anovel tray wherein the quantity of liquid therein may be varied to aconsiderable extent,

while maintaining the same liquid level in the tray.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention aiords a novel traywherein the liquid level therein may be controlled in a novel andexpeditious manner.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention alTords a'noveltray wherein the liquid level therein may be adjusted in a novel andexpeditious manner.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel traywhich is practical and eicient in operation` and may be readily andeconomically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understoodA that this iscapable of variationand modification, and Itherefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changesand alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A developing tray comprising (l) a body portion including a containerfor holding a predetermined quantity of liquid,

(2) said container having a bottom wall,

(3) an air chamber mounted in said container,

(4) said air chamber having (a) an opening in the `bottom thereof, and

(b) a top wallfhaving a portion disposed above the maximum permissibleoperating level of the predetermined quantity of liquid in saidcontainer, and another portion disposed below said maximum permissibleoperating level of the predetermined quantity of liquid,

(5) vent means in said tirst-mentioned portion for opening and closingthe interior of said chamber to Athe atmosphere above said level of saidliquid to thereby control the amount of air in said chamber andtherebycontrol the actual level of said quantity of saidliquid in saidcontainer.

2. A developing tray for use in treating sensitized papers comprising(l) a body portion including (a) a container for holding a predeterminedquantity of developing liquid,

(2) said container havig a bottom wall,

(3) a false bottom mounted on said container above said bottom wall,

(4) said false bottom having (a) a perforate portion for permitting saidliquid to pass upwardly and downwardly therethrough into and out ofposition to treat such papers, and

(b) an imperforate portion,

(5) an imperforate continuous side wall sealed to and extendingdownwardly from said imperforate portion of said false bottom inposition to define, with said imperforate portion, an open-bottomed airchamber spaced upwardly from said bottom wall,

(6) and valve means mounted in and extending through said imperforateportion of said false bottom for `controlling the amount of air in saidchamber to thereby control the level of said quantity of liquid in saidcontainer.

3. A developing tray comprising (l) a body portion having (a) asubstantially rectangular-shaped, upwardly opening container therein,

(2') a false bottom (a) mounted on said body portion and (b) extendingacross said container,

(3) said false bottomvhavig openings therethrough for the passage ofliquid upwardly and downwardly therethrough, and

. (4) means for controlling the level of liquid in said container, saidmeans comprising (a) imperforate wall members projecting downwardly fromsaid false bottom in position to dene a laterally closed, downwardlyopening area of substantially rectangular horizontal crosssectionextending across said container below said false bottom in closelyadjacent, substantially parallel relation to one longitudinal edge ofsaid container, and

(b) a valve mounted in said false bottom Within said area,

(5) said false bottom being imperforate throughout all portions of saidarea disposed exteriorly of said valve,

(6) said valve being actuatable between (a) an open position, effectiveto vent said area through said false bottom to the atmosphere, and

(b) a closed position effective to close the top of said area to theatmosphere.

7 4. A developing tray comprising (l) a body portion having asubstantially rectangularshaped, upwardly opening container therein,

Y (2) a false bottom (a) mounted on said body portion and (b) extendingacross said container,

(3) imperforate wall members projecting downwardly froin said falsebottom in position to dene a laterally closed, downwardly opening areaof substantially rectangular horizontal cross-section extending acrosssaid container below said false bottom in closely adjacent,substantially parallel'relation to one longitudinal edge of saidcontainer,

(4) said false bottom having a passageway therethrough withinthe areaenclosed by said wall members,

(5) said portion of said false bottom exteriorly of said passageway andwithin the area enclosed by said Wall members being imperforate,

A (6) .saidfalse bottom having openings therethrough in the areaadjacent Ythe longitudinal edge of said container remote from said onelongitudinal edge for the passage of liquid upwardly and downwardlythrough said openings,

(7) a plug threaded into said passageway,

(8) said plug beingmovable in'sraid passageway be- References Citedbythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,514,072 7/50 Kantor 141-39v2,742,838 4/56 PaulasV 95-89 2,925,025 2/ 60 Conner 95-89 2,996,9698/61 Kaufman 95-89 EvoN C. BLUNK, Primary Examinar, DBLBERT B. Lowe,NORTON ANSHER, Examiners,

1. A DEVELOPING TRAY COMPRISING (1) A BODY PORTION INCLUDING A CONTAINERFOR HOLDING A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF LIQUID, (2) SAID CONTAINERHAVING A BOTTOM WALL, (3) AN AIR CHAMBER MOUNTED IN SAID CONTAINER, (4)SAID AIR CHAMBER HAVING (A) AN OPENING IN THE BOTTOM THEREOF, AND (B) ATOP WALL HAVING A PORTION DISPOSED ABOVE THE MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLEOPERATING LEVEL OF THE PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF LIQUID IN SAIDCONTAINER, AND ANOTHER PORTION DISPOSED BELOW SAID MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLEOPERATING LEVEL OF THE PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF LIQUID, (5) VENT MEANSIN SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PORTION FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE INTERIOR OFSAID CHAMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE SAID LEVEL OF SAID LIQUID TOTHEREBY CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF AIR IN SAID CHAMBER AND THEREBY CONTROLTHE ACTUAL LEVER OF SAID QUANTITY OF SAID LIQUID IN SAID CONTAINER.